Development News

Another fast food chain is headed to Baltimore � but don't expect fries with your sandwich.

Freshii, a franchise that sells made-to-order salads, wraps, soups and yogurt, will open a store at the Inner Harbor the first quarter of next year. Another Maryland store will open Dec. 1 at National Harbor in Prince George's County.

In total, franchise company Goel Management wants to open 20 Freshii stores in Maryland in the next three to four years, CEO Sumeet Goel says. So far, Goel has signed a letter of intent to open stores in Annapolis, Columbia and College Park. He plans to open two stores in Columbia and one in Ellicott City.

Started five years ago in Toronto, Freshii has been likened to Starbucks for its ambitious growth plans and Whole Foods for its eco-friendly practices. The company expects to have 52 locations open by the end of the year and 300 by 2015. Freshii relies on biodegradable materials. Customers can even bring in their own bowls.

The restaurant touts its healthful menu and offers three types of meals: high protein, low fat, and "balanced," with essential fats and slow-burning carbs. Meals cost, on average, $8 to $9.

Stores range from 200-square-foot kiosks to 2,000 square feet. The downtown Baltimore store will be about 1,500 square feet.
Each store costs between $50,000 and $200,000 to open.

Goel chose the Inner Harbor because the store will attract nearby office workers and tourists.

A Maryland native who lives in Pasadena, Goel also owns all of the Baja Fresh franchises in Baltimore. He says he believes the Baltimore market has attracted a more health conscious crowd.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Sumeet Goel, Freshii

Shops selling teen fashion accessories, curtains and fries are the latest to debut at Hunt Valley Towne Centre.

Country Curtains, Five Below, Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries and Chick-Fil-A opened within the last two months at the open-air shopping center anchored by Wegmans Food Markets.

Five Below, a discount retailer targeting teens, opened a 9,000-square-foot store selling school supplies, sporting goods, games, fashion accessories and bath and body products. Everything in the store costs $5.00 or less.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries opened a 2,500-square-foot store on the second level of the mall, next to Greetings & Readings.
Country Curtains sells drapes, bedding, pillow and other home d�cor in its 3,100-square-foot store. It moved to the center at 118 Shawan Rd. from another Hunt Valley location on York Road.

Later this year, the shopping center will welcome MVP Entertainment, the Ray Lewis-backed bowling alley and restaurant. The 62,000-square-foot facility will feature a sports bar, billiard tables, golf simulators, a coffee bar and 38 bowling lanes equipped with flat-screen televisions.

"It will add a tremendous amount of entertainment," says Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. Chief Operating Officer Tom Fitzpatrick. Greenberg Gibbons is the developer of the Main Street-style shopping center.

Fitzpatrick says he sees a bit of an uptick in the retail market, which soured during the recession.

"The retailers that have the capital to expand are certainly doing so," he says.

To win over business owners, Greenberg touts the center's ample parking and anchor tenant Wegmans. With the new tenants, that leaves all but one space in the nearly 1 million-square-foot shopping center leased.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tom Fitzpatrick, Greenberg Gibbons

A low calorie dessert franchise plans to sweeten the Baltimore region. 

Tasti D-Lite franchise owner Benjamin Pascal plans to open at least four stores in Maryland by spring. The first of these will open by the end of October at the Park Plaza shopping center in Severna Park. The center's anchor tenants include Dress Barn, Bill Bateman's Bistro and Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft.

The 2,100-square-foot store at 580 E. Ritchie Highway will double as the local headquarters for the headquarters for the Franklin, Tenn., chain. Pascal will use the space to train franchisees and house marketing and administrative staff.

Pascal is eyeing Towson, Baltimore City and Annapolis for the remaining stores. He has yet to secure the locations but says he is looking at standalone locations and strip malls, rather than enclosed mall spaces. Most stores average between 800 and 1,000 square feet. Each store requires about a $250,000 investment in franchise fees and real estate.

Pascal has awarded Tasti D-Lite franchises in Bel Air, Chevy Chase and Washington, D.C.

Eventually, Pascal would like to open at least 25 stores in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Delaware over the next decade, with about 15 of these in Maryland.

Started in New York in 1987, Tasti D-Lite today has 50 stores in the U.S., South Korea and Mexico.

Tasti D-Lite sells frozen desserts composed entirely of skim milk. Though doesn't have enough milk fat to be called ice cream, but the consistency is similar to soft serve ice cream, Pascal says. Each four-ounce serving of the stuff contains  between 70 and 100 calories and about 5 grams of sugar.

The stores' 115 flavors include banana fudge, carrot cake, green tea, pomegranate and pumpkin cheesecake. The shops also sell smoothies and shakes.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Benjamin Pascal, Tasti D-Lite

After nearly six years of planning, developer Dave Holmes' $50 million retail and residential development in Fells Point will break ground in January.

The retail portion of the project consists of about half fashion boutiques that target women, along the lines of yoga wear company Lululemon Athletica that recently opened a showroom in Fells Point.

"We are in the final stages of wrapping up a lot of requirements before we put a shovel in the ground," Holmes says.

Holmes is looking forward to finally getting the project underway after "dozens" of start dates.

"Which each passing start date we get better at closing in on a timeframe," Homes says.

The approximately 30,000-square-foot of retail will also include children's clothing shops and boutiques selling shoes, purses and other fashion accessories. Holmes and partner Daniel Winner also expect a shop selling lotions and makeup along the lines of the Body Shop. (But no, they're not talking to the Body Shop, Holmes says).
 
The site will also contain 160 residences, mostly one-bedroom apartments for rent designed to appeal to young professionals who want to live in a bustling part of the city and be close to Interstates 95 and 83.

Holmes says rental rates for the apartments have not yet been set. But since the project is a couple of blocks from the water, the rental rates won't be quite as high as tony waterfront apartments like the Eden in Harbor East, where a 900-square-foot one-bedroom with water views can cost around $2,000 per month.

The Marketplace at Fells Point includes a renovation of the Broadway Market food stalls, totaling around 20,000 square feet.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Dave Holmes, Marketplace at Fells Point

The Legg Mason building in Harbor East is home to the namesake financial behemoth, the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a flurry of new retailers.

A contemporary art gallery will join the glass-encased 24-story building Sept. 6.

Clark Priftis Art will open a 2,400-square-foot gallery in a location that owner Ann Priftis hopes will give her access to the well-heeled residents, tourists and office workers in that part of town.

"It's an ideal location in terms of accessibility for tourists and residents," Priftis says.

With floor-to-ceiling windows, the gallery's pie-shaped space is located at the Harbor East traffic circle. That spot will hopefully get great visibility from pedestrians and drivers.

An art dealer and appraiser who has worked in New York, Priftis has been scouting Baltimore for years to find the perfect spot. Several years ago, she was close to opening an art gallery on the city's west side. But those plans fell through when the cost turned out higher than original estimates and she and her former business partner had different visions.

Priftis has long been interested in Harbor East, but when she approached the developers several years ago, the rent was out of her range.

She declined to say how much she is paying for her space in Harbor East. But in general, retail rents throughout Baltimore have come down as much as 30 percent from their highs in 2006 and many developers are offering a variety of incentives to lure tenants.

Priftis has signed a six-month lease with the option to extend her stay if things go well.

The gallery will feature modern painting, sculpture and photography.

"We're trying to bring high quality art from various parts of the world," she says.

The gallery will be open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. and from noon until 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Ann Priftis, Clark Priftis Art

Downtown Baltimore's newest restaurant, Kona Grill, is spending $3 million to open for business at 1 E. Pratt St.

The Baltimore location, to open Oct. 4, is only the second downtown venue for Kona Grill, which operates 24 restaurants in 15 states.

The other downtown restaurant is located in Stamford, Conn. Typically, the chain selects suburban malls rather than city spots, Kona CEO Marc Buehler says.

But the company likes the Inner Harbor's mix of office workers, tourists and conventioneers who will all hopefully take a bite out of the restaurant, Buehler says.

"We really think it's going to be a great site for us," Buehler says.

The nearly 7,000-square-foot restaurant will seat 189 inside an another 74 on its Pratt Street patio. The store will employ 120.

Last year, the Scottsdale, Ariz., company opened four restaurants in Richmond, Va.; Woodbridge, N.J.; Eden Prairie, Minn.; and Tampa, Fla. And it plans to open two or three restaurants next year, Buehler says. It continues to eye the East Coast � from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia. Buehler couldn't be more specific, as a publicly traded company.

The restaurant serves sushi, grilled meats and seafood, pizzas and salads. Buehler describes the concept as "polished casual," ranking with the Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Chang's.

It gets business from 21-to 35-year-olds for its happy hour and late night bar business, while its lunch and dinner crowds range from 24 to 54 years of age.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Marc Buehler, Kona Grill

As the mother of four growing kids, Pam Corkran goes through a lot of clothes.

Corkran, is opening a consignment shop at 2123 N. Charles St. with the hopes that she can help out other moms, as well as students and professionals in similar shoes.

The Charles Village store called Too Good to be Thru will open Sept. 23 and hold a grand opening that day with food and music.
 
The shop will sell mostly clothes and home d�cor. Corkran hopes she can attract students and professionals at Johns Hopkins University, and area accountants and lawyers.

The shop owner has invested $10,000 to open the 1,750-square-foot store and took classes at the state-run small business development center at Towson University to get assistance with her business plan.

Originally from West Va., Corkran grew up in the neighborhood and wanted to come back to the area to start a business. The two-story store will sell shoes, purses, scarves, hats, skirts and dresses.

"It brought back a lot of memories," Corkran says of being in the neighborhood.

She found the space through a friend who owns the building.

So far, she has been promoting the store at area festivals, including Artscape, and on her Facebook page. 

It took about 18 months to get the building ready for business. It turns out that Baltimore City puts a consignment shop on equal footing as a pawn shop, so she had to get the support of neighborhood associations. She also had to get special zoning approval since the shop is in a residential building.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Pam Corkran, Too Good to be Thru

Roland Park residents seeking vintage fashions from the 1960s and 1970s now have a place to shop.

Myrtle Dove Vintage opened last month at 5006 Lawndale Ave. The 800-square-foot store sells men, women's and children's clothing, jewelry, sunglasses, shoes, wigs, toys and hats. It also sells vintage housewares, including tablecloths, fabrics and pottery.

Owners Michelle Walsh and Mary Walsh-Reynolds last year started an online vintage store on eBay. They seized the chance to open a bricks-and-mortar store when another vintage shop in that space left.

"Vintage clothing has been a passion for my sister and me," Walsh says.

The sisters get their merchandise from estate sales, flea markets, yard sales and thrift stores.

The pair chose the Roland Park neighborhood because it's chock full of residents with plenty of disposable income. The location is also close to a consignment store that sells used designer clothes that complement their merchandise.

Though business has been a little slow in August, Walsh expects it will pick up in the fall as people return from vacation.

The shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Walsh declined to say how much the owners spent to open the store.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Michelle Walsh

Anne Arundel Community College will begin a $21 million renovation and expansion of its outdated library next spring in an effort to modernize its campus.

The project will add 31,000 square feet to the building, which is currently 44,000 square feet. The new space will house a computer lab, tutoring services and a reading department.

The expansion will begin April 2011 and will be completed in 2012 or 2013. Funding for the project comes from the state and Anne Arundel County.

School officials want to upgrade the building, which dates back to 1968, so that it includes the technology and collaborative learning spaces that other college libraries have nowadays, says Anne Arundel Community College Library Director, Cynthia Steinhoff.

"The building was designed for a much smaller student population and we are very crowded," Steinhoff says.

Like many other community colleges, the Arnold campus enrollment continues to rise as more people head back to school to gain skills that could help them land jobs. So far 15,877 students have signed up for the fall school year. That's about 5 percent more than the number it had last year, spokeswoman Susan Gross says.

The college has hired two architectural firms, Ewing Cole, in Philadelphia and D.C., and Woollen Molzan and Partners Inc., of Indianapolis, to design the building.

"The building will be more attractive and look much more contemporary," Steinhoff says. School officials think of the library, at 101 College Pkwy., as the "heart of the college."

"We are thinking of the new structure as the jewel of the campus."

School officials like the campus' location because it is centrally located for county residents.

"It's an easy location to get to," Steinhoff says.

Sources: Cynthia Steinhoff, Susan Gross, Anne Arundel Community College
Writer: Julekha Dash

A new restaurant and beer bar is set to open just after Labor Day on Baltimore's west side, replacing the former Lucy's Irish Pub.

Alewife's owner Daniel Lanigan plans to serve new American cuisine, with an emphasis on Maryland food. Lanigan, who owns four beer bars and restaurants in Massachusetts, will offer 40 beers on tap and 100 bottled beers.

Though other restaurants at 21 N. Eutaw Street have had a somewhat short shelf life, Lanigan says he believes he has the recipe for success. Alewife will focus more on the food and shy away from the Irish cuisine that had been a staple in the restaurant's former incarnations.

"Irish cuisine is not known for being spectacular," Lanigan says.

The former Lucy's owner contacted Lanigan to see if he would be interested in the 6,000-square-foot restaurant. Lanigan says he is so far charmed by Baltimore.

"I love it. I think there's a lot of Baltimore pride here."

He is counting on theater patrons at the Hippodrome and Everyman Theatre � scheduled to move to the west side fall 2011 � to fill seats at the 300-seat restaurant. He also hopes to entice neighboring students and workers at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

"It's an underserved area," Lanigan says of the west side neighborhood. With 1,200 residents living within two blocks of the restaurant, there are a "lot of people who don't have anywhere to go."

The restaurant will offer valet parking and employ 50.

Source: Daniel Lanigan, Alewife
Writer: Julekha Dash

Two Baltimore architectural firms are designing new labs and research buildings for a Laurel wildlife refuge funded by the federal government.

The expansion, to cost between $40 million and $60 million, is funded by federal stimulus money.

Gant Brunnett Architects Inc. and Floura Teeter Landscape Architects Inc. are designing the new space for the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Construction on the project will begin June 2011, says John Brunnett, president of lead architectural firm Gant Brunnett.

The project will include designing a 64,000-square-foot addition to a building that houses research on migratory birds. Plans also call for a renovation of the existing 52,000-square-foot building.

Gant Burnett and Floura Teeter are also designing a new 14,000-square-foot facility where researchers will examine the effects of environmental contaminants on endangered species. They'll research things like how does the pesticide DDT affect the bald eagle population? Another 10,000-square-foot building will be use to breed whooping cranes.



Floura Teeeter has performed an analysis of the site and is getting ready to design it according to LEED criteria, says Aaron Teeter, owner of Floura Teeter. Architects hope to obtain at least a silver LEED certification, Brunnett says. 

One green aspect they're considering is filling the landscape with plants that don't need as much irrigation and are more resistant to drought.


Source: John Brunnett, Gant Brunnett; Aaron Teeter, Floura Teeter
Writer: Julekha Dash

The owner of a Howard County furniture store plans to expand to new locations. Nitoo Singh says he is actively looking for sites in Howard, Prince George's and Anne Arundel Counties to open another Furniture Express location. He doesn't know how many stores he will open, however: He says it depends on the sites he finds and how the economy fares over the next few months.

Singh is looking for spaces in high traffic areas with good visibility, at around 8,000 to 10,000 square feet.

Furniture Express currently has one location, at 8909 McGaw Court in Columbia, which opened during Memorial Day weekend this year. The 9,000-square-foot building is accessible from Interstate 175 and Snowden River Pkwy. Singh likes the location because he lives in Columbia, making the commute an easy one.

Furniture Express' brands include La-Z-Boy Co., Vaughn Bassett, Best Home Furnishings, Coaster Company of America and Global Fine Furniture. The company can offer faster delivery, between 21 and 30 days, rather than the usual eight to 12 weeks at many furniture stores, Singh says. That's because it mostly sells American-made products, so the chairs and beds don't take as long to get to the showroom.

"These are times when people are looking for instant gratification," Singh says.

Though a lot of furniture stores have buckled during the downturn, Singh hopes he can fare better by controlling his overhead costs, offering shorter delivery times and focusing on customer service.

The store delivers to Prince George's, Howard, Anne Arundel and Montgomery Counties. It also delivers to Northern Virginia.


Source: Nitoo Singh, Furniture Express
Writer: Julekha Dash

The owners of Padonia Village Shopping Center have spent $600,000 with the aim of attracting new tenants and keeping existing ones.

Located at the intersection of York and Padonia Roads, the 110,000 square foot shopping center contains 24 office and retail tenants, including Mars Supermarket, Rite-Aid and Padonia Station Bar & Grille.

The improvements include new sidewalks with stamped concrete, fa�ade upgrades, new signs, lighting and paint. Two new rain gardens  featuring black-eyed susans and ornamental grasses were installed. The center also features new benches, bicycle racks and recycling bins.

Owner Continental Realty Corp. hopes the makeover will help it attract two new restaurant tenants, says David Donato, vice president of Continental Realty's commercial division. The two vacant spots face the courtyard and total nearly 5,000 square feet.

The owners are actively seeking Mexican, seafood and Asian restaurants to complement the center's existing food offerings, which include sushi and pizza.

"We want to keep the center fresh for existing tenants and catch the attention of new ones," Donato says. "We'd love to see some restaurants now that we have outdoor seating."

Continental Realty also wanted to keep up with newer shopping centers in the area and older ones that that have undergone extensive renovations. These include Timonium Square Shopping Center, across from the Timonium Fairgrounds. Owner Kimco Realty Corp. renovated the fa�ade, and installed new signs and canopies last year.

"A lot of York Road is fresher and newer looking," Donato says.

Donato describes the Timonium area as a "retail mecca," with huge traffic counts, population density and income.

More than 56,000 consumers reside within a three-mile radius of Padonia Village with an average household income of more than $93,000. More than 40,000 vehicles pass the project on a daily basis along York Road, according to the state's transportation department.

Continental Realty hired Holland Construction Co. as the general contractor and Arium Inc. as the architect. Davey Commercial Grounds Management handled landscape design.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: David Donato, Continental Realty

This may be the era of e-readers and iPads, but one bookstore in Towson is actually growing from its sales of hard copy books.

BookHolders, which specializes in college textbooks, opened its new location Aug. 9 at 208 York Rd. The 6,000 square foot store is 50 percent larger than its old home at 425 York Rd.

The new location is closer to the university, making it more convenient for students, says Ryna Luckert, the store's marketing manager.

The spot comes with 20 parking spots and has greater visibility since it's located at the busy intersection of Towson Town Boulevard and York Road, Luckert says.

"Students can see us better."

The larger space also allows BookHolders to sell more college apparel.

Started in 1999, BookHolders currently has six locations. The others are located in College Park, Blacksburg, Va., Richmond, Va., Morgantown, W.Va., and Tampa, Fla. BookHolders opened the Towson location in 2007.

The company likes the town because it is close to several universities, Luckert says. Aside from Towson University, others nearby include Goucher College, College of Notre Dame and University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

With competition from so many online sources, how is that a bookstore is growing?

"We try to offer the absolute cheapest textbooks," Luckert says. "We're always making sure we're very competitive that we have the best prices for students."

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Ryna Luckert

After months of waiting, Richard D'Souza's dream of opening a gluten-free restaurant appears to be on track.

The business owner hopes to open the eatery at 127 W. 27 St. by early November now that Baltimore City has granted him his liquor license.

The 75-seat yet-to-be-named restaurant will serve new American dishes including with lamb chops, tuna burgers, portabella mushroom burgers and lobster mac and cheese. It will be the latest expansion for D'Souza's gluten-free enterprise. He operates a bakery and caf� called Sweet Sin at 123 W. 27 St.

D'Souza's plan faced opposition from some community members who didn't want another liquor establishment in the neighborhood. The fight cost him $45,000 in legal fees. But the business owner fought back by getting 1,000 signatures from neighborhood residents in support of the establishment.

He also agreed to a compromise on his hours. He agreed to stop serving alcohol at 10:30 p.m. on weekdays and 12:30 a.m. on weekends, though other bars in the area serve liquor until 2 a.m.

In 2005, D'Souza and his wife Renee started a gluten-free wholesale bakery that sold breads and desserts to Whole Foods Market and Wegmans. Four years later, they outgrew their space as they began selling cupcakes, soups and other gluten-free items as customer demand grew.

Now they are expanding once again with the new restaurant, whose entrees will cost between $12 and $16. The restaurant will specialize in local, organic vegetables and offer eight to 10 vegetarian and vegan dishes every day.

D'Souza likes his Remington neighborhood because it's close to Johns Hopkins University in nearby Charles Village. And he guesses that at least some university staff and students are looking for an alternative to the pizza and "fried poppers kind of place."

D'Souza's landlord Paul Goldberg is helping to finance the restaurant by spending $80,000 to renovate the space.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Richard D'Souza